Spelen bij Beelen Rotterdam: tickets, attractions and opening hours

Spelen bij Beelen is a family play park in Rotterdam-Zuid, located on the former Rivoli site beside the Maashaven. The park is aimed mainly at children aged 0 to 12 and combines playgrounds, climbing areas, water play and physical activities in a low-stimulation environment. This guide covers the attractions, ticket prices, opening hours, food, accessibility and transport options.

What is Speelen bij Beelen?

Spelen bij Beelen describes itself as Rotterdam’s ‘speelhaven’, or play harbour. Instead of focusing on fast rides, screens and elaborate special effects, the park encourages children to run, climb, build, explore and play at their own pace.

The concept is designed as a lower-stimulation alternative to a traditional theme park. There are no flashing lights or loud mechanical effects throughout the main play areas, with more emphasis placed on movement, creativity and social play.

The park is being developed in phases. Its first section opened with approximately 35,000 square metres of the planned 70,000-square-metre site. This initial phase includes more than 20 play activities, together with Gigi’s Klim World and the Beelen Eye Ferris wheel. Further indoor and outdoor areas are planned as the site continues to develop.

Attractions and things to do at Spelen bij Beelen

The main play area contains a mixture of playground equipment and active attractions. Children can use trampolines, slides, swings, a large sandpit, a roller-skating area and water-play features. There are also spaces where children can climb, balance, ride pedal cars and make up their own games.

At Harvey’s Verkeersstad, children can travel around a miniature traffic environment while learning basic road rules. The park also has a separate pedal-car course where children can drive around under adult supervision.

Gigi’s Klim World is centred on climbing and scrambling. The area is intended to encourage children to test their balance and confidence, while some sections can also be explored with an accompanying adult.

One of the park’s most recognisable structures is the Beelen Eye. The 45-metre Ferris wheel previously operated at Walibi Belgium and now overlooks Rotterdam-Zuid and the surrounding harbour area. The wheel is advertised as one of the park’s principal attractions, although availability can vary because of inspections, maintenance or weather conditions.

The park continues to add and adjust attractions. Visitors should therefore check the current attraction list before travelling, particularly when visiting for a specific ride or play area. 

Is Miniworld already at Spelen bij Beelen?

Miniworld Rotterdam has been taken over with support from Spelen bij Beelen, but it has not yet moved to the Doklaan site. The announced plan is to give Miniworld a permanent place within the park in the future. Until that move takes place, Miniworld remains a separate attraction at its existing Rotterdam location.

Other proposed additions include indoor play areas, educational play worlds and further recreational spaces. These plans are still being developed and should not be confused with the attractions currently available during a visit.

Tickets for Spelen bij Beelen

Tickets are sold through the official Spelen bij Beelen ticket platform. Visitors select a date and available admission period when booking.

Current admission prices are:

• Adults: €15
• Children aged 2 to 12: €10
• Babies aged 0 to 1: Free

The park may run separate access campaigns or discounted schemes for families from Rotterdam-Zuid. Availability and eligibility can change, so local residents should check the official website before purchasing regular tickets.

After payment, visitors receive an electronic ticket by email. The barcode or QR code is scanned at the entrance. Tickets are valid on the selected date and admission period, and leaving the park ends the right to re-enter on the same ticket.

Tickets are generally non-refundable when a visitor selects the wrong date, time or ticket category. Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by someone aged 18 or over.

Opening hours

The current regular opening hours are:

Monday to Saturday: 10:00 to 16:30
Sunday: 13:00 to 16:30

Opening hours may change during school holidays, special events or later phases of the park’s development. Attractions can also close temporarily because of maintenance, safety checks or extreme weather. Visitors should check the official opening hours shortly before departure. 

Food and drink

Food and refreshments are available through the park’s Eten bij Beelen concept. The menu places a strong emphasis on simple and relatively healthy products for children.

Available products include snack cucumbers, tomatoes, vegetable crisps, currant buns, banana bread, fruit juice, chips and ice cream. Coffee and cappuccino are also available for adults. Some of the vegetables are supplied by a biological farm connected to the organisation in Houten.

Many child-focused food and drink products are priced at €1. Coffee and cappuccino have been introduced at €2. The park also provides reusable cups that can be filled with chilled drinking water free of charge.

Visitors are generally not permitted to bring personal food and drink into the park. Families dealing with allergies, medical diets or other specific dietary requirements should contact Spelen bij Beelen before booking to discuss the available options.

Accessibility and age suitability

Spelen bij Beelen is designed primarily for children aged 0 to 12. Different sections suit different ages, from simple play areas for young children to climbing structures and physical activities aimed at older primary-school children.

The park presents itself as a low-stimulation environment. Its main play concept avoids flashing lights and loud ride effects, which may make the experience more comfortable for children who are sensitive to noise or visual stimulation. The park is still a busy family attraction, however, particularly during weekends and school holidays.

The grounds are described as wheelchair-accessible, and several play features have been developed so that children using wheelchairs can participate. Some water-play controls, for example, can be operated from wheelchair height. Individual attractions, climbing areas and the Ferris wheel may still have age, height, health or mobility restrictions.

Adult supervision is required. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult aged at least 18, and parents or guardians remain responsible for the children in their group throughout the visit.

Much of the current park involves outdoor and physical play. Comfortable clothing, sturdy shoes and a change of clothes for children using the water-play areas are advisable.

How to get there

Spelen bij Beelen is located at Doklaan 40 in Charlois, close to the Maashaven and the southern entrance of the Maastunnel. 

By public transport

Visitors travelling from other parts of Rotterdam can use metro station Zuidplein or Rotterdam Zuid railway station before continuing towards the Doklaan by local bus or tram. Public transport routes and stops may change, so checking the current journey through RET or a public transport planner is recommended.

Walking from Maashaven metro station is also possible, although the final part of the journey takes visitors through the surrounding neighbourhood and industrial harbour area.

By bicycle

Cycling is one of the easiest ways to reach the park from central Rotterdam, Katendrecht, Charlois and nearby neighbourhoods. The site has space for approximately 500 bicycles and cargo bikes.

The Maastunnel cycle route provides a direct connection between Rotterdam city centre and the Doklaan area.

By car

The park has its own parking area with approximately 500 spaces. The current parking charge is €10 for the first four hours. Each additional hour costs €5. Parking availability and prices may change as construction around the park continues.

History of the park

The site has one of Rotterdam’s longest and most unusual amusement-park histories. The Doklaan complex was originally a waste-incineration facility before entrepreneur Hennie van der Most began transforming it into an amusement and entertainment destination in the early 2010s.

The project was first known as Speelstad Rotterdam and was later renamed Attractiepark Rotterdam. Its final name under Van der Most was Rivoli Rotterdam. Plans included rides, restaurants, an indoor camping area, a theatre and several entertainment venues, but announced opening dates repeatedly passed without the complete park welcoming regular visitors.

In April 2026, the property and its leasehold rights were sold at an enforcement auction. Entrepreneur Wim Beelen purchased the complex for €6.5 million and announced a different direction for the site. Several unfinished rides and structures were removed, while the Ferris wheel was retained.

The name Spelen bij Beelen was announced in May 2026. Instead of waiting until the entire site was complete, the new owner chose to open usable sections in phases. The first public section opened on 21 July 2026, finally bringing regular visitors to the Doklaan site after years of postponed plans.